Let's Sing Along, "What A Drag It Is . . . . ."

SHIP'S LOG:

I got up this morning around 6:30, made morning coffee, and sat up in the cockpit listening to NOAA and watching the dawn. Unfortunately, just after dawn, all hell broke loose. Some cold front that had been forecast, by you know who, came through like I am not quite sure what, but it wasn't weak. The rain fell(almost an inch in an hour) and the winds blew and I mean seriously blowing. Later weather reports pegged the gust between 55 - 60 mph. It was "blowing stink" as they say up in God's country.

I threw one a rain jacket and turned on the engine because it was clear that ABISHAG was dragging. She hadn't broken loose but it was clear that she was moving a little with every gust. I checked the anchor rode and it was taut and the anchor weight rode was taut as well. There was no way I could reset them right then. I let out some more rode but it really didn't correct the situation. I was still moving toward BRIGADOON.

I put the engine in gear and moved to take the strain off the anchor rode. That stopped the backward drag but it really didn't alleviate the situation. I also had no way to know how long this particular "non-forecasted" storm would last, a few minutes or a few hours or all day. By now I was soaking wet on top of all the rest, the blown rain and spray having found every point of access in the rain gear. In between the gusts, I worked the anchor out. I first brought in the anchor weight and then in small steps the anchor itself and motored around the other boats in the anchorage, trying to find a good spot. As I passed by one boat, the owner commented "Looks like you had a bad time of it there, but you did good getting out."

After a few circuits of the anchorage, which was a small pocket of deep water surrounded by shallows, I headed back to where I had been, knowing that if I could get the anchor to bite, I would have swing room in the wind. I made the mistake of dropping the anchor where I wanted the boat to be rather than dropping it where, after the rode played out and the boat settled in place, it would be where I wanted it to be. The anchor bit and held but playing out the scope left me too close to BRIGADOON and another boat in too much wind. ABISHAG "sails" a lot at anchor, even with the anchor weight, and in all this wind , she was really dancing.

After about 45 minutes, I knew I would have to haul the anchor move and reset. The rain had stopped at this point and I couldn't get any wetter, so I hauled up and move and dropped the anchor. Got a good bite and played out the scope and ABISHAG settled in place just about where I had wanted her to be. It was then a question of taking bearings and making sure that she was staying in place. I did and she was and once that was confirmed, the wind gust stopped and the the wind settled to a reasonable 20-25 and gust to 30. By evening, it was down to 5-10. Whatever this front was, it produced one of the greatest sunsets I have ever seen. I tried to get pictures and if they come out I will upload them.

The weather tomorrow is supposed to be breezy but after this morning, it will have to really be breezy to be of much concern. Jerry was unable to kick free and the batteries will have to wait until tomorrow. I got to meet t5he owner of BRIGADOON, a Fryda(?) 41, who lives in an apartment ashore while he readies his boat to got to Panama. His name is Brad Smith and he has a Pyrenees Dog named "POO" who is as big as a horse and is still a puppy. He lives a shore and comes out to the boat to work.

Despite the "exciting adventure" of this morning, I think I would rather be on the hook in a storm than at a dock. My caprails are scared and stripped of finish from the days spent on docks before and during this trip. Having the boat bang against the dock and fight the docklines holding her in place can't be a good thing. On the hook, sure you may drag but at least the boat gets to react naturally to the weather and so is under less strain. Hey, it's just my opinion.

Tomorrow, I will help Brad install an ARIES Wind Vane he bought and I will pick up my batteries so that ABISHAG will be well again. Supposed to be back in the mid 70's again and no rain.